Monthly Archives: December 2014

Justified: How Can A Holy God Justify Sinners?

(Part Three)

In our last two articles, we discovered how God justifies sinful man by His Grace, (Romans 3:24); God also justifies man by Faith in Jesus Christ, (Romans 3:26 – 28).

Comparing the two above verses, we see that we have been justified by Grace and by Faith in Jesus Christ. Paul made it very clear that a person cannot be saved by good works such as keeping the law. Romans 3:20 says, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

We learned that Man’s FAITH Must Be Completely In Jesus Christ To Gain Entrance Into Heaven. Our faith must rest completely in Jesus Christ, and Him alone! Our faith in Jesus means that we are trusting in what He has done on the cross to pay our sin debt rather than trusting in what we can do.

So we have learned that we are justified by Grace and not because we Deserve justification; we have been justified by Faith and not because of our works or good lives.

However, there is yet a third method involved in the justification process. Paul teaches us that we have been justified by the Blood of Jesus Christ. Romans 5:9 says, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

How Did God Deal With Our Sin Problem?

God is a just God that HAD to deal with our sin problem. He could not overlook our sin.

Leviticus 17:11 is clear on this matter when it says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

Ephesians 1:7: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

Romans 4:25: “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

What we must understand to fully appreciate our magnificent salvation is that God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, willingly subjected Himself to the death of the Cross in order to pay our sin debt for us. It was a debt that He did not owe, yet was willing to pay so we could go where we really do not deserve, Heaven!

Jesus Christ became our substitute. This means that He took OUR sins in His sinless body. II Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” I Peter 2:24: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we , being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed .”

I Peter 3:18: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

Without the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ, we would not have salvation; nor the forgiveness of our sins; neither an eternal home in heaven. Hebrews 9:22, “… andwithout shedding of bloodisnoremission.”

What Does Justification Look Like in Real-Life?

Someone recently had brought up something they had done to me. They came to ask my forgiveness. When they tried to remind me of the wrong, I simply asked, “What are you talking about? They tried to remind me by saying, You know, the time that I… I replied, No I cannot remember it Sure you do, was their response. I really blew it! No, I replied once again, I honestly cannot remember you ever doing this against me.. And I couldn’t.”

This is a picture of what happens when Stan tried to accuse us before God (Revelation 12:10). Satan says, “How can you ever forgive him? Jesus simply says, Because of my Blood. Jesus, he is a sinner. Because of my Blood. But ole Jim is far from perfect. How could you ever justify him? Because of my Blood. Because of My shed blood, and His faith in my sacrifice for him, I now have no record that Jim was EVER a sinner in the first place.

If you have ANY doubts about your salvation, please contact me at:JimKilgoreMinistires@gmail.com and I will help you from God’s Word immediately.

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Justified: How Can A Holy God Justify Sinners?

Job 9:2 asks a thought-provoking question, “I know it is of a truth: but HOW shall a man be just with God?” How can a person really be justified before a holy God? Or, how can a holy God justify sinners? What great questions they are.

However, it is imperative that we clearly understand from the beginning, that God does not overlook our sin. God personally dealt with the sin question 2,000 years ago. He did this on the Cross, through His sinless Son, Jesus Christ. We have been justified as a result of a three step process. We shall look at the first step today.

We Have Been Justified Freely By God’s Grace

Romans 3:24 says: “Being justified FREELY by His grace through the redemption that is IN Christ Jesus.” Paul reminds the Believer that justification is not by merit, but completely by the Glorious Grace of God! The word freely could be translated “without a cause.” In other words, there is NOTHING within you and I that would cause God to justify us because of our “good, moral, and exemplary life.” No, Paul concludes that justification is definitely an act of pure grace.

What exactly is grace? Grace is the unmerited and unmeritable favor of our Righteous and Holy God. Grace in its simpler term means, “God is giving to sinful man, that which man does NOT deserve.” Paul said to the Christians in Ephesus that their salvation was all by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8-9: “ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not that of yourselves; It is the GIFT of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Who Exactly Does God Actually Justify?

God justifies the ungodly person. Romans 4:5 “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” This is just the opposite of what took place during the Old Testament days.

Deuteronomy 25:1 shares this truth with us: “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.”

Now if God were to deal with us like this today, would we not ALL be condemned to be an eternal hell forever? Yet God does NOT want man to remain separated from Him. II Peter 3:9 says: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” I Timothy 2:4 expresses the desire of God perfectly, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

This is pure grace. What is man really life when standing exposed to the perpetrating eyes of God? Romans 3:23 reminds us that WE have ALL sinned and come short of the glory of God. We do not even come close to the perfection of God. In fact, the closer I get to God, the blacker my sin becomes to me. How sad, but after being a Christian for these 44 years, I am just beginning to understand just how wicked and vile I have been in the sight of God.

This realization of their sinfulness led Isaiah to cry out in Isaiah 64:6: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” After receiving a glimpse of the Glory of God, Isaiah then understood his utter helplessness apart for God and he cried out in Isaiah 6:1, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” Isaiah 6:3, “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:5: reveals Isaiah’s response, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

This realization of God’s Holiness and our own utter sinfulness should lead us to call out to God for the forgiveness of our sins so God may justify us and allow us to enter into His Heaven. God’s PROMISE to EVERY person is found in Romans 10:13: “For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Will You Call Upon Jesus Christ For The Forgiveness Of Your Sins Now?

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Justified: Our Slate Wiped Completely Clean!

The two images tell a story of anguish and forgiveness. The parents of a young man who had been killed in a street fight stop the execution of the convicted killer tin April of 2014 — mere seconds before he was to be hung in front of a large crowd.

It took place in Iran, where hangings are still accepted as a form of public execution. The news agency ISNA identifies the man who was to be hanged as Balal. In 2007, at the age of 19, he killed 17-year-old Abdollah Hosseinzadeh, ISNA reported. As he was about to be executed, the Mother of the victim came and publicly forgave her son’s killer. You will notice her in the photo on the right. She forgave the one that killed her son.

This is what God does to each person that seek Him for salvation. God forgives us completely and allows us to live in Heaven with him. He then justifies the new Believer and frees him from the guilt and punishment of his sins.

Job 9:2 asks a thought-provoking question, “I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?” How can a person really be justified before a holy God? Such a question deserves a great answer from God. This is the question the Apostle Paul writes from the city of Corinth as he was writing to those at Rome around the time of A.D. 57-58. Paul would soon be going to Rome to teach on the great doctrines of glorious grace of God and how man could be justified to God.

Moving forward now to Romans 3:21-31, we read where the Paul had uncovered every man for what he is: A Sinner that has been found guilty, and under the sentence of Divine judgment (Romans 3:19, 23). During the first part of Romans, Paul in no uncertain terms reminded fallen and sinful man, that each one were deserving of God’s punishment and likewise deserving of eternal separation from God. The same is true of every person today.

This tragic truth of man’s inherent sin nature that had been received from Adam (Romans 5:12), relates to the whole world because there is “no partiality” with God (Romans 2:11).

Paul further exposed the moral man who thought that God would accept him on the basis of his morality. He continued to render those that had never heard the Gospel as likewise guilty before. God.

Paul then changed his focus to tell sinful man that although he could do nothing to save himself from this Divine sentence, that there was still hope of his going to Heaven when he died.

The theological word Paul used was justification. Once you understand this word, it will likely become one of your favorite doctrinal words. The word in its true theological form means, “The gracious act of God whereby He declares righteous those that place their absolute faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and then frees them from the Guilt and Punishment of their sin.”

What Exactly is Justification?

1.Justification is an Act and not a Process. There are not any degrees of justification as there are in the Christian’s growth process. Because of this understanding, no one is any more justified than another. God sees each Christian (The Christian’s Position in Christ), as He sees His only Son, Jesus Christ. God is able to declare man righteous only as a result of God’s provision through the substitutionary death and shed blood of Jesus Christ.

What does this mean? First it means that you were justified or declared righteous before God the moment you received Jesus Christ as your only hope of Heaven. Instantly you were given a righteous standing before God because of Jesus Christ. No amount of self-effort or morality could ever produce this standing before God by sinful man. We are incapable of justifying ourselves; rather it is God that justifies us.

2. No Believer is any more justified than another Believer. Why? Because justification is unchanging! Once a sinner accepts Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the Cross as he places his faith in what He did, the sin question is settled once and for all.

It matters not how long you have been saved. Whether you have been a Christian for 40 years or four days, you have the same righteousness. Hebrews 10:10 makes this truth clear, “By the will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Romans 3:24 teaches us that “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” Grace is God not giving to us that which we so rightly deserve. We deserve hell, yet He gives us Heaven. We deserve punishment for our crimes against God, yet He offers complete forgiveness.

Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God has made a promise to you in Romans 10:13: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Will YOU receive this gracious gift of Eternal Life THROUGH Jesus Christ?

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Salvation: Permanent or Only Temporary?

(Part Two)

1 John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. “

God wants you to know the truth. He wants those who are unsaved to know they are lost that they will believe and receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. He also wants those who are saved to know they are and have complete assurance of their salvation. Two important questions a person must ask which we will discuss Biblically.

How can I be Saved, have my sins forgiven, and go to heaven when I die?

The answer is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and God will save us and give us eternal life. Notice the following verses:

Romans 10:9-10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

John 3:15-16, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 4:5, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

1 John 5:20, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”

John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

How Can I know that I am Saved?

Notice that in each of these passages the person who believes in Christ is said to receive “everlasting” or “eternal life.” Note what God tells us through the following passage:

I John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. “

Some denominations have decided erroneously that the doctrine of the “Eternal Security of the Believer” is a license to sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. I know of no preacher or church that teaches and believes in Eternal Security that teaches that it gives license to sin. The truth is that the opposite is true! They all conclude with the Word of God, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer there in?” (Rom. 6:1-2). Ask any preacher or church that teaches Eternal Security what they believe regarding sin and they will strongly condemn sin in a believer’s life.

This question deals with the soul’s of man, and one’s eternal destiny. The heart of the matter is this: Is salvation by grace, the free gift of God through faith, or is it a matter of earning or working for salvation?, and then working to Maintain your salvation? It is a matter of one or the other and there is no middle ground. No one can either Attain or Maintain their salvation!

One is either by faith accepting God’s free offer of salvation by grace and pleading the shed blood of Jesus Christ for his salvation, or he is offering God his filthy rags of his works to atone for sin. It is either one or the other, it is not both, or part one or the other. It is all of Christ or nothing!

If a church or person believes a true Christian can lose their salvation then that church or person is a false because they are teaching salvation by works. God plainly states works do not save! “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Titus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”